Laurens finally experienced what it felt like to become a puppet. Her thoughts and movements were restricted, and she was punished whenever she crossed those boundaries.
However, she still needed to test if those restrictions applied beyond the stage. That was why when she gestured for Klein to meet again later, she discreetly dropped a piece of paper indicating the meeting location.
She had anticipated such restrictions because she knew the world could never be so kind, and fate was always the most elusive and difficult thing to alter.
Her intention to save a few people from their destined deaths, like Old Neil and Dunn Smith, would require a more roundabout way to succeed.
Klein won't miss the clue I left…
Laurens was confident because she knew Klein was the protagonist with a sharp mind, and as long as he had a certain idea, it was always correct.
Actually, there was something else she wanted to test, but that would have to wait until their next meeting.
She returned to her apartment and reviewed the mysticism materials Annette had provided. She would receive the Assassin potion tonight after Annette came home.
Her sister hadn't allowed her to participate in the gathering of potion ingredients or in the formula itself.
The two-bedroom apartment had a kitchen, a bathroom, a dining table, a sofa, two wardrobes, and a bookshelf. The rent was quite expensive for a middle-class family, but Laurens didn't have to worry about money for a while, as her earnings from the circus troupe were substantial.
She calculated her income and the remaining money she had saved in the Backlund bank. She had a total of 350 pounds.
That's not even enough to buy the main ingredient for a Beyonder.
It was a large sum for an ordinary person, but for a Beyonder, it wasn't nearly enough.
Laurens didn't want to rely on Annette for everything; she needed to earn her own money and ease the burden on her sister, who had been looking after her.
Could I work as a detective? Maybe…
She stopped her thoughts just as she was about to think about the red chimney. She didn't dare trigger the suspicion of that one.
All afternoon, until Annette returned, her mind was occupied with how to make money. Her ideas ranged from taking on rough jobs to formal detective work to more violent ones.
Oh, right...
Laurens almost forgot about one thing, her own skill. She had been a web novel writer in the modern world. Why hadn't she thought of becoming a writer here?
I can't do rough jobs or resort to violence. I could try being a writer until I find something better in the meantime.
She wouldn't rely on just one thing because she knew there was no guarantee she would become a popular writer. There were many paths, but time didn't wait for anyone. She had only three months left to change many things.
Her motive for returning to her world remained the same. She would just use a better method than ending her life.
She planned to help the protagonist by altering certain parts of the original plot. Perhaps she would find the "path" home as she did all this.
Even the smallest glimmer of hope was still hope. Just like when she had been desperate to find a job in the modern world, she had eventually found hope through becoming a writer and earning a decent living.
During dinner, Annette finally came home, carrying food she had bought outside. The two siblings couldn't cook, which was a shame.
I can cook a little, but Annette would start to suspect me later.
"I bought some steak for dinner tonight." Annette handed her the warm paper-wrapped food, then took off her coat and went to the bathroom.
"I'll test your mysticism knowledge before you drink the potion later," she said gently before the bathroom door closed.
Laurens stared blankly at the paper-wrapped food.
She didn't know why, but something about Annette had changed. She had become more beautiful, refined, and capable of making anyone's heart race.
Did she raise her Sequence? Is she now Sequence 5?!
Her guess was based on Annette's earlier actions, hinting at "pleasure," which likely meant she was now Sequence 6, Demoness of Pleasure.
Once again, Laurens had strong doubts about Annette. The main ingredient for a Sequence 5 Beyonder couldn't be obtained so easily. The likelihood that Annette was still an important part of the Demoness Sect was quite high.
Then why is she letting me live?! Is there a conspiracy surrounding my life?
For a moment, she suspected that she was being used as a guinea pig to bear the Demoness Pathway as a woman.
Laurens set the paper-wrapped food on the dining table and went to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Her mind was preoccupied with suspicion and caution.
After Annette cleaned herself and came out of the bathroom, Laurens had finished preparing the tea and the steak on plates.
They ate dinner in silence, as usual, with only the sound of utensils clinking against the plates.
The steak was tender and soft in her mouth, utterly satisfying. Laurens calmed down a bit with the good food.
After finishing and cleaning the dishes, it was finally time for the mysticism knowledge test.
Naturally, as a reader who already knew the entire novel from the first book, Laurens easily completed the test, leaving Annette satisfied.
The test revolved around the spirit world, the acting method, potion Sequences, and how to maximize the potion's power.
Even though Laurens didn't fully understand the concepts, she could state the answers. She would understand them better once she became a Beyonder.
"You're better than I was at learning this. Alright, I've brought the Assassin potion. Remember, there's no turning back once you drink it." Annette pulled out a small glass bottle containing the prepared potion.
So, I'm drinking it directly. She's not telling me the formula.
Laurens took the bottle while grumbling internally.
No turning back, huh… The moment I arrived in this world, I knew there was no normal way back. I'll have to find that way myself.
With that thought in mind, Laurens opened the bottle and drank the contents without hesitation.
A cold, sticky sensation clung to her mouth and throat, utterly uncomfortable. She almost gagged but forced it down into her body.
Then, as if something within her broke, Laurens felt coldness spreading throughout her body, and her vision started to blur as if shrouded in darkness.
A few minutes later, the sensation subsided, and her muddled consciousness returned. She felt like she had just escaped death.
This is only Sequence 9… Why was my reaction so intense…
Laurens tried to calm herself from the panic of almost losing control.
Her blue-gray eyes darkened as if ink had spread through them. She could also sense the darkness and shadows around her more acutely and could blend into them for a time.
Her body felt lighter, like a feather. She could glide gracefully and silently from heights.
Her vigilance heightened, and she vaguely felt a connection to mirrors.
These were all basic powers granted by the Assassin potion.
However, Laurens frowned in surprise as she seemed to receive an unusual power that wasn't supposed to be there.
She could control her own shadow and even the shadows of others.
This… She was stunned by the potential of this strange power.
Is this another cheat I have? But…
Everything comes at a price. That's why Laurens couldn't feel too pleased, as she had to consider the cost she paid for this power.
Annette, who had been carefully watching her sister's transformation, sighed in relief, seeing that Laurens had successfully become a Beyonder and had passed the step of almost losing control.
She discreetly put away the pieces of mirror she had been holding.
"How do you feel? I'll teach you how to perform 'Cogitation,' just as the written materials I gave you mentioned earlier." Annette pulled her out of her dark and anxious thoughts.
So, Laurens set aside the mystery of her strange power and chose to focus on the present.
"Okay, I'm ready. Please teach me," she replied with determination.
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